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THECHURCH AND JOHN D.
BY LIVYS, RICHARD
Can any church in America afford
to .keep labor-crushing John D.
Rockefeller at the top of its list of
preferred creditors? .
Is any church strong enough to
keep afloat under such a staggering
load?
Let it be freely conceded that John
D., as an individjial, needs the gospel
'of Jesus v as much as any man ,ln
America; and tfafT as a sinner, he, is
not worse irtdegree than many a
humbler sinner whose name doesn't
get into all -the papers.
Let it be'Ctfeceded that he may be
wholly sincerejin the position which
he has take,nlri the labor cpnflict. It's
hard to cpncede that, for it's hard to
imagine how any man of intelligence,
himself benefiting beyond compari-
elemental. The church of today can
no more evade or straddle it than the,
church two generations ago -could
dodge the issue of chattel slavery.
The churches which then stood
baldly for human freedom are the
churches which today are locked
back upon with respect.
The churches which cottoned to
slavery or steered a pitiable course of
silence or evasion are today looked
upon with universal contempt.
The issue focused in the person
ality of Rockefeller is a bigger and,a
deeper issue than was the issue of
negro slavery.
Negro slavery fell in a limited area
upon a, single race.
The slavery represented by Rocke
fellerism alls upori the, entire" body
of American labor, whatever hs race
son by organization in ' industry, or hue 'and wherever it seeks its daily
snoum ue siu,cerg in ins uenei iiiai
persons weaker than,, he should not
have equal right-to organize for their
benefit and to'fight, as he has fought,
for a larger share df thevopportunities
of life. , ,
But, putting aside-" all prejudice
and allowing to him the" benefit of all
possible doubt, let's concede that
The fact still remains that his re
tention in the churcli, as one of its
foremost members, upon whom many
ministers and laymen fawn, and,
whose blood-stained dollars- - thaui
sands of parasitical so-called Chris
tians eagerly scramble for, consti
tutes today, m America, the church's
greatest handicap and liability.
It makes mockery of the church's
most solemn sociaCprofessions.
It fills the hearts of-millions of
working folks with contempt or hate
for it. ,.
It drags the whole ministry of the
church, in the majoity of cases per
haps unjustly, into a growing sus
picion of hypocrisy or moral cow
ardice.
bread.
For its own., sake the church must
face this greater issue and declare its
stand.
To -cling to John D. for the sake of
his tainted millions is to go down,
down, down to a coward's death.
To allbw his money to muzzle its
ministers is to earn an epitaph of
shame.
' What shall the church do with, '
Rockefeller?
There can, it seems to me, beihut
one answer:
. Unless he repents and" makes rep- -aration,
KICHIM OUT! -
o o 4
If you want the best piecrust it
should be made the day before-if you
wish to' use it and put into a cold
pantry. Then the crustwill be flaky'
and crisp. If you wish to retain the
crispness after baking, let the pies
cool thoroughly before putting away.
o o
A new gown has been made with
out" a gather in bodice, sleeves or
skirt. Thp fwwskirt cpts its flarp lw
This issue of despotic ana murder- being cut in a circular piece and box
ous capitalism vs human welfare is plaited.